Labyrinth: A different version
by Kandell
Summary: Title sucks, but this is basically what would happen if I were to encounter the Goblin King. rated T for now. From the author formerly known as zutarataang4eva.
1. Chapter 1

This story is basically my take on what would happen if I encountered the Goblin King. Don't hate me for being a fan-girl!!!!! T-T

The movie Labyrinth belongs to Jim Henson/ whoever actually owns it.

I got home from school and ran up to my room, determined to finish the book I'd found the past week. The book itself wasn't very long, but the fact that I rarely got enough time to myself to read accounted for my nonexistent progress. I flopped onto my bed, snatched the small, red book from my nightstand, and flipped the front cover to the first page. Within moments I was lost in the story. But alas, a long day at school and a long practice on the tennis courts will tire out anyone, and I was asleep by the end of the first chapter. At this rate, I probably wouldn't finish by the end of the month.

I woke with a start as a flash of light splashed through the windows of my bedroom and the book slipped out of my hands. A crash of thunder followed soon after, and I tried to calm my breathing. I wasn't sure why I had woken up, exactly. I couldn't remember a dream of any sort, even though I could remember flashes of something. I leaned back down into my bed and snuggled my head against my pillow. Lightning flashed again, but I pulled the covers over my face. I fell back asleep, into dreams of fairytales and championship tennis medals.

When I woke up the next morning, my eyes were greeted by an unwelcome, exceedingly bright light. I squinted against the intensity and pushed myself up on my elbow. Then I realized something was off. I didn't have windows on the left side of my bed. My hands ran over the blanket, and the fabric felt foreign. I looked down to see a rich, burgundy comforter splayed across a bed that definitely wasn't mine. It was a dark cherry four-poster bed with curtains pulled back on all sides except for the headboard. I threw the covers aside and launched out of the bed, running for the door. My bare feet slapped against marble flooring, and my eyes barely registered the extravagant décor of the room. As I reached for the doorknob, the French-style doors swung open and in front of me stood a strange man. He had perfect, pale skin, like a porcelain doll, with white-blond hair, the same style as my auburn locks, falling to his shoulders, and fluffed at the top. He had one green eye and one blue eye, which looked down his straight nose to make up for the ten inches of difference in our height. I gulped, my hands slightly shaking under his cold gaze.

"Wh-who're you?" I stammered. The man continued looking at me, taking a step forward and closing the doors. As he advanced, I retreated, a bit faster than his pace. "Who are you?" I repeated, my voice stronger this time.

"I show you this level of hospitality and this is the first thing you say to me?" he sniped in a crisp voice, which had a hint of a British accent.

"I don't even know where I am," I took half a step back at his sudden remark, and held his gaze as my eyebrows knitted together and my chin dropped.

"You are in my castle," the man leaned his head back slightly, peering down at me with a haughty grin.

"Would you mind telling me where exactly your castle is?"

"Take a look out the window." His voice was low and smooth, like dark chocolate. I walked to the window, keeping eye contact for the first several feet before I turned to look outside. The window revealed a primitive city and an expansive maze, which stretched farther than I could see.

"What's going on? How did I get here?" I turned, intent on making one hundred and eighty degrees to face him, but stopped when he appeared right next to me.

"Isn't it a lovely sight, my labyrinth?" the man mused.

"Stop ignoring my questions and give me some answers!" I was now to the point where I wasn't scared, just angry. "Who the heck are you?"

"I, my dear, am the Goblin King."

"What sort of sick joke is this? Am I still asleep? Is this some messed up dream?" I backed away from him.

"This is no dream, Kelly," the so-called king took lazy steps forward, his head leaning back so he could look down at me. He looked so smug, and that angered me.

"How do you know my name? What's going on? Why am I here?"

"So many questions, my little Kitten," he smirked.

"So why don't you start answering?" I shot steely glares at him, but he seemed unaffected.

"I know your name because I've been watching you for quite some time. You're here because I want you to play a game with me."

"You could've just asked for my Wii friend code," my brow furrowed, and though I said the words, I had a feeling that he had a different kind of game in mind.

"I do not know what Wii friend code is, but I can assure you that is not my intent." In the blink of my eyes, the Goblin King was right in front of me, smirking down. "To go home, you must make your way through my labyrinth."

"What? That's not fair!" I took a step back. He tipped his head back a few inches as his smirk widened. I wanted to deck that smug look right off of his face. But as I blinked, the room vanished and we were at the outside of the labyrinth.

"If you want to get home," he leaned over my shoulder, now behind me, his face turned close to my cheek, "you must reach my castle in thirteen hours."

"That's unfair! What did I do to deserve this?" I demanded.

"Oh, Kelly, just play the game," he said, his voice taking on a slightly sour note, like a child that had just been denied his favorite toy.

"Can I at least have some shoes?" I turned to glare at him, but he wasn't there.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," he was to my right. He snapped, and I was wearing flats. "Remember, Kelly: thirteen hours." And with that he vanished.

"Just great," I huffed. I walked forward and looked down the wall of the labyrinth. "How do I even get in?" I mused.

"The door's right there." I jumped at the voice, and turned to see it's owner. It was a short, chubby, wrinkled creature.

"Who're you?"

"My name's Hoggle. You wanted the door, there it is." I followed his gaze to an open pair of heavy wooden doors.  
"Those weren't there a minute ago," I breathed.

"Things in this labyrinth change all the time." Hoggle turned and waddled away.

"Um, thanks," I called after him. He waved, not looking back, and I entered the labyrinth.

Once inside, I found myself even more confused. There were no turns in sight, which didn't make any sense at all. I began walking down the left side, looking for a turn of any sort. I went fifty yards without finding anything.

"This is so dumb!" I yelled. "How am I supposed to get to the center if there aren't any turns?"

"Beggin' yer pardon, but there _are_ turns." I looked around for the source of the voice, but couldn't see anything.

"Hello?"

"Up here!" My eyes followed their command and traveled up to find a purple bird.

"You talk?" my eyes widened.

"Of course I do! What do I look like, an idiot?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that," I mumbled, "Do you know the way to the center of the labyrinth?"

"Of course I do! I have a perfect view of the entire thing. Why, there's a turn a few feet to yer right!"

"What?" I walked toward the patch of wall that the bird was looking at, and sure enough, there was an opening. "It's an optical illusion!" I exclaimed, a smile spreading across my face.

"See? Yer on yer way already!"

"Thank you so much! I'm Kelly. What's your name?"

"I'm Sprickett," the bird chirped, ruffling it's feathers a bit.

"Would you mind helping me through the labyrinth?" I cocked my head to the left.

"I don't see why not," Sprickett flew down and landed on my right shoulder. "Turn right."

Sprickett and I ventured for half an hour, him guiding me through the maze, until we reached a dead end.

"That's the thing 'bout this place," Sprickett sighed, "you can go through a thousand times, and still get lost."

"That's alright," I tried to stay positive, "We'll just retrace our steps a bit." But I turned to see a dead end. "Wow, you were right about the changing."

"Don't worry, I'll find you a way out of here!" Sprickett flapped his wings, traveling high into the air before I could say anything. I sighed and turned around. There was a door where the original dead end had been. I bit my lip as I stepped forward and turned the handle. The wooden door swung open to reveal a long, dark, stone tunnel. I glanced over my shoulder to see that this was, in fact, the only way out, and that Sprickett hadn't returned, and entered the tunnel. Once I was five feet away from the door, it swung shut with an ominous thud, and I was trapped in darkness. I gulped and looked forward. There was no light whatsoever, so I reached against the wall and felt my way along the tunnel.

It seemed like I had been in that tunnel forever. I stopped to sigh loudly, trying to keep a positive attitude, and the floor gave out. I fell through the black and hit the ground with a loud thud. I moaned as I sat up, rubbing my ankle. My new surroundings were also dark, and gave me the chills. I heard a scuffling sound off to my right and whipped my head around, searching for the source of the noise.

"Is anyone there?" my voice quivered. As a response to my question, a small fire lit to reveal that I was in a small, round chamber. On the other side of the room, behind the fire, was a small, hunched figure. "Hello?" I called, leaning forward.

"Come over here, precious," a decrepit woman's voice emanated from the body. I stood and crawled forward, trying to keep my ankle as still as possible. The figure shifted as I neared.

"Can you tell me where I am?" I asked in a hushed voice, not sure if this new being was a friend or foe.

"Of course I can," the craggy voice answered.

"Will you?"

"Ah, now that's the better question. First tell me," the figure grew in height, and the Goblin King shed his disguise, "how are you enjoying my labyrinth?"

I scrambled backward, "You!"

"Me," he walked forward, through the fire, advancing on me. I tried to stand, but collapsed as I put weight on my sprained ankle. I cried out in pain as I hit the floor. In a second, the Goblin King was in my personal bubble, his face a breath away from mine. My eyes conveyed the whimper of fear that my mouth refused to let out. "Are you frightened?"

"N-no," I lied.

"You should be," he smirked. He seemed to do that a lot.

"How can I be afraid of what I don't know?" Ha, throw some logic at him, see how he handles that!

"I am Jareth, King of the Goblins, and ruler of this land and labyrinth."

"Congratulations," I sneered, trying to be brave. Jareth crawled forward, now over me, as I tried to sink into the floor.

"My my you have an attitude."

"That's what my mom tells me." I had a feeling that my act might be convincing, so I was determined to keep it up. Then I realized now was the time to fish for answers. "Why am I here?"

"I told you, Kelly, I want to play a game."

"But why pick me? The world is full with other, more suitable girls for this sort of thing."

He leaned his head down to whisper in my ear "Suitable in whose eyes?" My breath hitched a bit as Jareth's scent surrounded me. He smelled like magic.

"How do you know me?" I squeaked out.

Jareth sat back a bit and looked at me, smirking. "Do you remember that book that you found? The one under the tree you always sit under while you're resting after tennis?"

"The Labyrinth?" I inquired, remembering the title.

"Indeed. How do you think that book came to find its way under that tree in the first place?"

"You? But why? What does a book have to do with anything?"

"I take it you haven't gotten very far into the story," he murmured, obviously disappointed that I didn't read very much.

"Well excuse me for having a busy life," I crossed my arms, looking away from him.

I felt his hair brush my cheek as he leaned down, "Would you like to know what the story's about, Kitten?"

"I bet you talk in movies, too." I could tell he was planning on ruining the ending for me.

Jareth chuckled, "If you don't want spoilers, don't worry. I'll just let everything be a surprise." He gently grabbed my chin and turned me to face him. I could feel the subconscious blush creeping up my face as he leaned closer…


	2. Chapter 2

And then I was once again alone in the cave. I whipped my head from side to side, slightly startled and slightly disappointed- I mean…glad- that he had left so suddenly. The fire had also vanished, but I wasn't concerned about that. I pushed myself to my feet and hit my head on the ceiling. Colors flashed at the impact, and then everything went back to black.

"I can't see a damn thing," I muttered, testing my ankle. It was sore, but I had to go on. I reached out to feel my way to the wall, and felt chains hanging from the ceiling. The cool metal sent shivers down my spine, and I shuffled away from the chains. "This is hopeless. I can't see, and there aren't any doors!" If it hadn't been for the fact that I only had one leg that I could really put weight on, I would have stomped, or thrown more of a temper tantrum. But there wasn't any time for that. "I wonder what time it is…"

"Why, it's nearly mid-day!" Sprickett's voice echoed through the cave.

"Sprickett?"

"Right here! Follow the sound of my voice, little lady!"

"I can't. You're echoing."

"Hmm. Hold but a moment!" I heard a flutter of wings, and then something yanked a lock of my hair. I suppressed my instinct to swat at my unknown assailant, and instead followed the direction of the yank.

"Please tell me that's you, Sprickett."

"But of course! 'Oo else would it be?" My hair dropped as he spoke, but was yanked once again when he was finished.

"I don't even want to think about the possible answers for that one," I muttered. My comment was followed by a face plant into the wall. "Ow!" I squinted my eyes and clutched my nose.

"Sorry," my hair dropped again. "I should'a told you that we reached the door."

I felt the wall in front of me, "There's no doorknob."

"Indeed there is not."

"Right. That'd be too easy. I mean, it's not like I'm injured, and there's no light or anything," I spat.

"The door's under yer feet." I could feel the breeze from Sprickett's wings as he flapped near my head. I shuffled backward and bent down to grab the door. I pushed it up against the wall.

"What now?" I turned to where I thought Sprickett was.

"Open the door," his voice came from the other direction. I sighed and pulled the wooden plank at one side, and light poured into the cave.

"Sprickett! Oh my god, you're amazing!" I moved to hug him, but remembered that he was a bird and I would probably crush him. I followed the purple sparrow out of the cave and up a small flight of stairs into a tunnel. Every few feet, Easter Island heads were carved into the walls, and I jumped when the first spoke.

"Beware! Before you lies great peril!"

"Um, Sprickett, please tell me you didn't lead me into an even more dangerous area?" My voice was hushed and higher pitched, my eyes wider and my brow slightly furrowed.

"Oh, no, these are false alarms. Just ignore 'em." He flew on, and I followed after a moment of inner debate.

After ten minutes of "Turn back!", "Danger lies ahead!", and "You are in great peril!", Sprickett and I emerged into maze of shrubbery.

"How much more maze is there?" I wondered aloud as Sprickett flapped a few feet ahead of me.

"Quite a bit, but don't you worry. You'll get out of here just fine."

"I hope so…" A loud, rather indescribable noise erupted from all around us. "What was that?" I yelped, jumping behind the bird.

"I don't know. I'll go see," Sprickett soared up into the air and disappeared into the clouds. Once again, I was alone. My eyes shifted all over, and I began wringing my hands. "Why does he always have to up and vanish?" I muttered, wanting Sprickett to return.

"That's just the way I am." I whirled around to see Jareth standing a breath away from me.

"I wasn't talking about you," I began, "I was talking about…" A thought occurred to me. Was it possible that I could get Sprickett in trouble? This Goblin King seemed like a bit of a jerk…

"Talking about whom?" Jareth stepped forward, causing me to take a step back.

"My…um…imaginary friend."

"Imaginary friend?"

"Yes."

"And does this friend have a name?"

"Yes."

"And that would be?"

"Flowerew." Both Jareth and I were surprised by my response. Thank god my little sister constantly blabbed about how someday she would name her child "Werewolf" backwards.

"And what is this Flowerew?" Jareth took another step forward, but I wasn't about to give in now.

I stood my ground and raised my chin, "He is a one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people-eater."

"My, my. What an imagination you have." He sounded more impressed than sarcastic, which was an unexpected but albeit pleasant change of tone.

"That's what my mother tells me." I crossed my arms, gaining confidence.

Jareth took a step toward me, "So maybe you'll imagine your way out of this little snare." He produced a crystal and threw it against the floor. Instead of shattering, it morphed into some sort of rock monster, which turned and growled at me.

"A rock monster? Are you kidding me?" I whined, backing away from my new foe.

"Find a creative way out of this, why don't you?" He smirked and vanished.

The monster began advancing toward me, and I continued backing up until I was pressed against shrubbery.

"We were at the beach," I began, "Everybody had matching towels. Somebody went under a dock, and there they found a rock." The creature stopped in place and tilted its head, listening to me. "But it wasn't a rock. It was a rock monster! Da da da da da da da da," the monster began to sway as I sang. I continued through the song, creeping in a circle toward an open passage of bushes. I finished singing, turned, and ran. I was gone before the creature noticed. "Thank you Family Guy." I leaned my head back against the shrubs and took a deep breath. Looking ahead of me, I could see a stone maze, and beyond that, the castle. "Almost there." I pushed myself away from the bushes and jogged through the stone hallways.

After several minutes of wandering, I was back to a slow walk and felt like I was back in gym class. I threw my head back and grunted. And then an idea occurred to me. I found a crevice in the stone wall, put my toes in it, and found a handhold a few feet above my head. I jumped and grabbed it, and after a few moments of struggling, I was on top of the wall.

I walked forward, keeping my eyes on the castle. I got a beat into my head, and began adding dance moves to my steps. "When you look at me, tell me what you see, this is what you get, it's the way I am," I did a spin and returned to walking, an exaggerated swing in my hips. "When I look at you I wanna be, I wanna be somewhere close to heaven with Neanderthal man," I clasped my hands over my head and wiggled my arms and torso.

"Well aren't you the dancer?" Jareth's voice was soon followed by his appearance right in front of me. I, out of shock, threw my hands in the air in front of me and threw myself backward. Not such a good idea on my part. My butt hit the top of the stone wall, but my flailing arms threw me off balance, sending me toppling roughly six feet to the ground. I released an undignified scream as I fell, and a painful moan after I landed. I heard footsteps in front of me, and looked up to see black leather boots a few inches from my nose. I pushed myself back, away from his Higness's royal footwear, and sat back on my calves.

"Well that was entertaining," he mused, smirking as ever.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," I growled through clenched teeth.

"I have to be honest that I've never seen anything like that before." He casually leaned against the stone wall.

"What, you've never seen someone fall of a six foot wall?" I scowled.

"I was talking about the dancing," he actually grinned. That bugged me.

I pushed myself to my feet, wincing at the bruises. "Are you telling me that no one in this godforsaken dredge of land dances?"

"Oh, we dance," Jareth pushed himself off of the wall and appeared behind me. I mean _right_ behind me. As in I-could-feel-his-chest-brushing-my-back close. I stepped forward and whirled around to face him. "But our dancing is a bit more…magical," he leaned down as he finished. I felt a blush creep up my face as he got closer. Inch by inch, until I could smell him. His scent was overwhelming, intoxicating. My breath hitched in my chest, and he smirked. "But you seem to have a different sort of magic, Kitten." As he spoke, he advanced, and I retreated until my back was pressed against the wall and he was a breath away from me.

I could feel my blush intensify, but I wasn't going to show any fear or discomfort. "And what magic would that be?" I spat out.

"Now that would be telling," he whispered. His lips hovered above the skin on my neck, and his warm breath sent shivers down my spine.


End file.
